Zhouzhou, at the age of three, put on a suit for the very first time. His look resembled that of Lu Beichuan. With a bowtie and leather shoes, he walked into the banquet under the staggering lights with his father.

  Even at the age of three, he wasn’t shy and never once tried to hide behind his father. Instead, he looked around calmly and with poise, perhaps even curiously. He would address the men and women coming up to talk to Lu Beichuan as aunties and uncles.

  Lu Beichuan, with Zhouzhou’s hand in one of his hands and the wine glass in the other, would occasionally let go of Zhouzhou’s hand. When that happened, Zhouzhou would stand docilely next to his father and not wander around.

  “This is your son, Boss Lu? He’s so cute, and looks a lot like you.”


  “Aunty, do you mean to say that my daddy is very cute too?” Zhouzhou, looking up at the woman with the red wine in her hand, asked in a childish way.

  Lu Beichuan gave him a look but did not look unhappy. He took a sip of the wine leisurely.

  As much as a child’s talk was innocent, Zhouzhou’s words were so blunt that the woman gave an awkward smile. “Little boy, what Aunty is trying to say is that you are very cute and look a lot like your dad. You will grow up to be as handsome as your dad.”


  “Thank you, Aunty. But I look like my mom.”


  “Aunty” was taken aback a little. Losing her desire to chat, she muttered a couple more words before she walked away, carrying her wine with her.

  Zhouzhou was worried that his father would get upset at him. He looked up at his dad, intimidated, and said, “Daddy, I want some water.”


  Lu Beichuan looked at him. “Oh, so you are finally thirsty after talking all afternoon long?”


  Zhouzhou pursed his lips and was still a little bit worried. But, quickly, he puffed up his little chest and said righteously, “Nobody can talk about Daddy’s looks other than Mommy and Grandma!”


  Lu Beichuan didn’t say much but had the server bring him a glass of warm water.

  Zhouzhou squatted down and pounded on his legs a little after he was done drinking. He then stood back up courageously next to Lu Beichuan.

  “Tired?”


  “No, I am not tired!”


  He had been following Lu Beichuan around for over 2 hours. Even just standing there without walking wasn’t the most pleasant experience. Lu Beichuan took him over to the couch on one side, had him sit down, and had a server come and keep an eye out on him.

  “You rest here. Daddy will be chatting with that uncle over there. You come over to Daddy when your legs stop hurting. No running around, okay?”


  Having said that, Lu Beichuan handed him a glass of milk.

  Zhouzhou nodded with the glass of warm milk in his hands.

  Better not disturb Daddy, thought Zhouzhou to himself.

  “Who’s this little guy sitting here all by his lonesome?” A teasing sound came from afar and approached him. Lu Shaoyan sat down across from Zhouzhou with champagne in his hand. He gave the server standing next to Zhouzhou a look, gesturing to him to “go away”.

  The server was told by Lu Beichuan to stay. He looked troubled and did not leave.

  The server hesitated. “But, Mr. Lu had instructed that…”


  “What is this?” Lu Shaoyan snickered. “Don’t you know who I am?” He looked over at Zhouzhou. “Zhouzhou, do you still remember Uncle?”


  “Yes, I do!” Zhouzhou showed him his mouth full of little white teeth. “But Great-Grandpa said you are Great-Uncle and not Uncle!”


  “Have Zhouzhou ever seen a great-uncle as young as I? Be a good boy, call me Uncle.”


  Lu Shaoyan waved at the server to fetch him another champagne. Then, turning to look at Lu Beichuan amidst the crowd, smiled, and said, “Why are you sitting here by yourself? Did your daddy abandon you?”


  Little kids are always sensitive to words like “being abandoned”. Nobody had ever said anything like that to Zhouzhou in his entire life. Pouted, he retorted immediately, “Not true! Daddy said for me to rest up here.”


  “Look, your daddy is chatting with a pretty aunty. He has no time for you. He feels that you are just a burden, which is why he left you here.”


  “You are lying! Daddy will not abandon me! He is just chatting with the others! Besides… besides, I am only sitting here because I am tired. You are making things up. I don’t want to talk to you anymore!” He was about to jump off the couch as he spoke.